Whole-body vibration is a physical occupational hazard in many workplaces. Additionally, the mobility impaired who must rely on a wheelchair mode of transportation are also subject to this type of vibration. Workers typically subjected to this type vibration are operators or drivers of numerous kinds of vehicles used in agriculture, construction, highway trucking, and utility industries. Operators of the vehicles/equipment used in these industries are often subjected to extreme vibration environments for extended durations of time.
The contemporary suspensions used on these vehicles are generally inadequate in providing the necessary vibration isolation for the operator. For example, a recent exhaustive road test study of a series of seven utility truck/trailer configurations having contemporary suspensions was tested. Data were reduced per an accepted standard to measure whole-body vibration (i.e. ISO 2631 guide-lines) yielding health and comfort indices for each configuration. The health index for virtually all truck configurations was observed to approach or extend into the “health caution zone” whereby health problem occurrences have been documented.
In addition to the failure of current pneumatic suspension to adequately isolate vibrations from the occupant, many such suspensions are subject to occasional bottoming out and sling shot effects. The phrase bottoming out refers to the situation when the suspension is fully compressed due, e.g., to a bump, and it hits its mechanical stop or limit. Such a situation results in a large jolt to the occupant, subjecting him/her to a high G force. The phrase sling shot refers to the situation when the encounters an upward force, e.g. from a bump, when the suspension is already compressed that results in the suspension rebounding from a compressed state beyond its quiescent position, subjecting the occupant to high upward acceleration and travel.
In view of these problems, there is a need in the art for a vibration isolation device that can adequately provide the necessary vibration isolation for the operator and prevent or minimize the occurrences of bottoming out and/or sling shot events. Embodiments of the system of the present invention provide such a vibration isolation device.